Genny Light - Genesee Brewing Co. / Dundee Brewing Co.

BEERchitect

Kentucky

2.35/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

It's the beer that your dad gave you when you were 10 years old. You'd think that it would scare you away from beer drinking forever. In the ensuing 22 years, I have given a lot of other beers a shot; but now I'm back to this. Although it is not as gross as I remembered, it's a far cry from the ales of Dogfish or the Lagers of Germany. It is, however, and adjunct laden, watery mess that is par for the course for it's style. Sweet aromas of cereal grains, raw barley, and metalic hops. The malt profile is timid to the taste, along side of the hop flavors and bitterness. Leaves some sulfer compounds (burned match, cooked corn) and a tart, green apple flavor on the mouth. Quite dry and bitey to the feel and lingers into the terse finish. I guess it's fine if you are fishing with your dad in 1984, but you won't find it in my cellar.

Serving type: can

10-19-2007 21:00:43 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

2.28/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Genny Light actually bears the words "Brewmaster's Choice" on the label. Where that came from I'm not sure. Maybe it's because it's their cheapest beer to make and the brewmaster will get a bonus at the end of the year based on its cost-effectiveness. I'm not sure, but it can't be because of the flavor.
It pours a pale straw gold body beneath a full head of bright white foam that drops shortly to a wide collar and thin surface covering that leaves some nice lacing initially. Not too many bubbles can be seen rising to the surface; and the mouthfeel backs that up. It's carbonation is fairly restrained for the style, and it's more soft and smooth in the mouth than crisp. Some corn-like, sweetish malt (DMS, perhaps?) greets you in the nose and carries over into the flavor. Bitterness is kept to a minimum, and only a hint of hop flavor is found in the finish. A dull residual maltiness and touch of bitterness linger in the mouth and throat along with a touch of soapiness. It's not particularily off-putting, but I'd like to see it a little crisper. Overall, a fairly dull flavored light beer that seems to be lacking a little bit in the "refreshing" department.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2004 15:38:23 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

3.13/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours an almost clear color with a pale gold hue. It has a thick frothy white head that quickly fades to lacing. The aroma is average for these macro light beers. It has a very light malt scent with the appearance of adjuncts. It is a bit dry and musty smelling. The taste is not that bad. It has a grainy pale malt flavor that is watered down and surrounded by rice and corn. The mouthfeel is decent. It is an extremely low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a decent drinking light beer. There is nothing special about it, but it goes down easy and refreshes. Oh yeah, for those who care, it's low on carbs.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2004 01:12:21 | More by WesWes

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

1.63/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 1 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12oz. can poured into a pint glass. I decided to review this beer simply as a point-of-reference.

A: A very pale yellow with a thin head that disappears quickly, with no lacing at all.

S: The only thing I can smell is a heavy dose of corn and a bit of alcohol (which is surprising given the low ABV%). I’ll give it the credit that most beers of this nature don’t even have much of a smell; at least in this case I can smell something.

T: Just like in the smell, all I can taste is the corn-malt an even that isn’t very strong. Also there’s almost no kick to it at all, even for the style.

M: It’s crisp because there isn’t much substance to it, but I suppose that’s what is supposed to make a Light Lager light.

D: It goes down easy, but mostly because you don’t taste much of anything and the ABV is pretty low.

I described this beer to my friend as the beer that you would want to pick if you were ever challenged to a beer-drinking contest and you were allowed to pick your own beer. The price is what would attract people to this beer (that’s what attracted me). However, there are other “cheap” beers that are much better.

Serving type: can

02-12-2006 07:02:47 | More by TheManiacalOne

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.23/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Appearance is a light pale golden hue with a large bubbled white head leaves behind thin lacing with quickly diminishing foam. Aroma contains sweet corn and rice character with a slight metallic tone and no real hop profile. Taste has cereal grains, corn, and rice; it forms flavor with a touch of creamy sweetness and low hop bitterness making this light beer from upstate NY very unoffensive. Mouthfeel has evident carbonation with light body not as watery as some light beers out there. Drinkability is definitely a beer that can be drank in number however I don't think I would reach for this one on a regular basis.

Serving type: can

04-22-2006 23:22:21 | More by WVbeergeek

Jason

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev +31%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz twist bottle with no freshness date, lots of words like “Premium”, “Brewmaster’s Choice” and “Cold Aged” on the label then on the back it says “Let the Party Begin”. An ok white lace stays on top long enough, perfect clarity and very pale in colour.

Very faint alcohol and carbonation prickle on the nose, very clean aroma of grain and cooked cereal grain.

Crisp and grainy with a cooked corn grit flavour, cheap 6-row malt flavour perhaps also … too light to really tell. Semi-crisp and very light bodied. Bland and watered down but that is what it is supposed to taste like. As I said with the can review, don’t waste your money on expensive light beers, this one is just fine to keep you slim … YEAH RIGHT!!!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2002 13:56:38 | More by Jason

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

2.8/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

How interesting! The original version is called "Genesee Beer" and yet its lighter counterpart is "Genny Light", using the diminutive as we always did in the case of Genny Cream. CAN you dig it?

A finger of bone-white head with really low retention. It fell like Wile E. Coyote off of a cliff. Nose had the same sharpness that I noted in the Leaded version, this being Unleaded. Color was a straw yellow with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was really thin and watery with a better, cleaner taste than Leaded. Maybe producing a Light version of a beer CAN be a good thing... Finish was likewise less sharp and more pleasant that Leaded. I would drink this over Leaded, but I would still like to grab a Genny Cream and see how it stands up.

Serving type: can

08-13-2009 21:57:17 | More by woodychandler

nickfl

Florida

3.1/5  rDev +23%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with a small head of white foam on top of a clear, golden body. The head exhibits poor retention and leaves little lace.

S - Slightly fruity with a hint of malt but otherwise very clean and neutral.

T - Light malt flavor with a surprising note of musty hops. Very light and clean, not much else to say.

M - Light body, moderately high carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - Keeping in mind that I am trying (as always) to judge this beer for what it is, it really isn't that bad. I was expecting something uncommonly nasty, but it is bland and inoffensive. This alone puts it above other off-flavored light beers such as Bud Light. I drank this can at well above the Rocky Mountain level of cold that it is intended to be served at and it still wasn't a chore to imbibe (just try that with most light beer). This is by no means a good beer, but it isn't actively bad, just very light, and its extremely neutral flavor is actually a pretty impressive achievement.

Serving type: can

03-15-2010 07:05:50 | More by nickfl

Brent

Kentucky

2.53/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

As light beers go, this was unoffensive, which is often about all one can hope for. Pale, pale straw. A bit of corn in the aroma. Thin, perhaps just a touch dry, with light, sweet corn adjunct flavors. Very smooth, with no metallic notes. Borders on flavorless, but what flavor one can find is acceptable.

Serving type: can

06-01-2004 03:52:14 | More by Brent

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev +29%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a very pale yellow color with a small head. Smell is of corn and malts. Taste is also of corn and malts, more flavor than most light beers. Feels light in the mouth and is very drinkable. Overall at $3.19 a six pack, I must say this beer exceeded my expectations.

Serving type: can

04-26-2010 13:55:26 | More by tone77

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

2.55/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance - pale straw, soda like fizzy white cap that hangs around for a minute. A strand of lace, maybe two. Yeah, two.

Aroma - minor grainy aroma, almost nothing to see or sniff here.

Taste - lightly sweet grain, typical faded grain flavor. Pretty much as expected, I iced this one down pretty good, the flavors are straightforward and expected.

Mouthfeel - crisp, thin, as a ight beer should be.

Drinkability - easy to knock back. Nothing memorable except the price. $2.99 a sixer of pint cans for a standard budget lawnmower beer works for me.

Serving type: can

06-29-2010 03:23:58 | More by brewdlyhooked13

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

2.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz Can

Appearance – Clear yellow colour with an average size fizzy white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there isn't much lacing. The head lasted for around 3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Grains, corn, malts

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation. I can taste breads/grains malts and a light corn syrup sweetness. The beer finishes with a clean/crisp grainy aftertaste.

Overall – You're not going to be blown away by the taste of this beer by any means.. but for the style it actually isn't half bad. I purchased 30 of these for a recent camping trip and they worked out well. They have a bit of a sweet malty taste that kind of sets it apart from the other beers in it's category. I'd buy it again.

Serving type: can

06-29-2011 17:52:01 | More by spinrsx

thekevlarkid

Maryland

1.53/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Out of a can this Light Lager was an urine yellow (really) color with one finger of white head. The head was short lived but it did show some retention as a collar that left scant lacing. The aroma was a faint blend of corn and rice. The flavors were bad. I tasted an unpleasant mix of corn, rice and cardboard. Slightly sour as well. It reminded me of Kix cereal, only stale/rancid. The mouthfeel was watery, the body light and the carbonation medium. Garbage.

Serving type: can

02-26-2012 22:00:35 | More by thekevlarkid

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.28/5  rDev +30.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Sampled on June 24, 2011. It pours pale yellow with a fizzy white head. The aroma is full of corn and grain with a dim hop backdrop. The body is actually pretty good for a light lager. It is better than watered down. The taste hjas a dash of malts with a fresh hop bite at the end. An acceptable macro.

Serving type: can

06-25-2011 02:07:54 | More by puboflyons

Drew966

Florida

2.08/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours the standard macro lager yellow with decent head that dissipated quickly. The aroma is mild as is the flavor, very drinkable if unexciting substitute for bud/miller/coors type beers. I wouldn't turn one down, but I wouldn't go looking for one either.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2006 23:37:18 | More by Drew966

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

2.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Very clear yellow color. Fluffy head that leaves some lacing.

S-Very faint smell. Has the generic macro scent. Kinda goofy, a little skunky. Grains are the only real detectable scent besides the metal from the can.

T-A bit more flavor than one may expect. Very light still, but not as watery as many of the same lineage. Really not that bad, has a pretty crisp and refreshing aftertaste. Light enough to pound several of them but still kinda tastes like beer.

M-Very light. Watery. Nice crispness. Goes down easy and leaves a awkwardly pleasant aftertaste.

D-Yeah, this is drinkable. The fact that it is about %.5 less alcohol than other light beers is a setback because if you are trying to get hammered, its a few extra beers to drink. But the taste is better than expected. Overall, for the cheapest 30 rack at my college's local liquor store. I cannot complain.

Serving type: can

04-08-2011 00:42:02 | More by VelvetExtract

Frozensoul327

Michigan

2.33/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

This one falls far short of the mark when it comes to Light Lagers. Pours out to nearly the color of clean water, with only a touch of yellow. Small head dissipated rather quickly. Minor notes of lacing. Aroma is not impressive by any means; some adjunct and sweetness is noted, over a watery character that remains constant. Flavor is mild and boring; weak malts and adjunct blend with water and low level hops to produce nothing short of bland and average taste. Mouthfeel was light and watery, typical of the style. Drinkability is fair at best. Go for Genesee Cream Ale instead.

Serving type: can

11-18-2005 22:58:16 | More by Frozensoul327

yesyouam

New York

1.68/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Genny Light is a very clear and sparkling, light straw-colored beer with a quickly fading white head. It has an aroma of lemon, corn, black pepper and perhaps some fusel oil. It has a thin body; it's watery and fizzy. It is barely flavored, but there are notes of lemon peel, corn and hay. It ain't that great. I drank about half of it and dumped the rest in the sink when no one was looking. Stick to the Cream Ale.
(rated Nov 30, 2008)

Serving type: can

12-12-2008 14:00:53 | More by yesyouam

Darkmagus82

Montana

2.95/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from can into a pint glass

Appearance – Pours a light straw color with a huge white head. The head fades very rapidly to leave only a tiny amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is of a malt and a light corn and bready nature with some papery smells mixed within.

Taste – The taste starts out with some caramel and corn sweetness. There is a light bready taste up front as well. These flavors create a base and remain rather constant throughout the taste. Only toward the end dose a lighter bittering hop come to the tongue and with a slight fading of the sweetness, it leaves a rather drier and crisp feeling on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The beer’s body is quite light and watery and the carbonation level is rather high. Both are good for the style as they make for a very refreshing and easy drinking brew.

Overall – While certainly not the most flavorful, it is rather refreshing and at only $1.29 for a 24 oz can it makes for a great session brew.

Serving type: can

11-15-2012 02:09:04 | More by Darkmagus82

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

2.95/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

A. Transparent pale pilsner yellow color and a bubble-bath sudsy foam head of two fingers with mild retention levels and lacing alike.

S. Light metal and light grainy, cracker malt. Faint cooked vegetables but nowhere near as offensively vegetal as some other "beers" I've had.

T. Some stale light watered-down malts, again mostly of the saltine cracker variety. Its like bargain basement crystal and pale malts were super diluted in here. The light metallic tones in the nose are actually not present in the flavor, which I am pleasantly surprised by.

M. Watery and thin but that is true to the style, I suppose.

Honestly, for the price point I was expecting something much worse than what I received, I could have (and yes, I have) done much worse than this particular brew. It's... tolerable. It could even work as a lawnmower beer if you cared very little about flavor yet didn't want to drink straight water.

Serving type: can

04-12-2012 22:00:58 | More by WastingFreetime

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

2.7/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Genny Light has a thick, stark-white head and a clear, bubbly, golden-straw appearance, with splotchy lacing left behind. The aroma is of musty, sour grains, grain husks, and faint grape juice. Taste is of sweet and sour grain, faint grape, and corn meal. Mouthfeel is light and watery, and Genny Light finishes decently crisp and refreshing. This is a budget beer, and it presents itself as such.

RJT

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 14:04:05 | More by RonaldTheriot

soju6

Missouri

2.25/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

22oz Can.

A: Pours a pale golden color with a big foamy head that fades to nice lacing.

S: has a very mild grain aroma, sort of musty.

T: Prety bland taste, very light sweet grain flavor.

F: Light body, crisp and somewhat refreshing.

D: Goes down smooth & easy. Typical low budget lawnmower beer.

Serving type: can

10-16-2010 18:53:41 | More by soju6

John

New York

3.7/5  rDev +46.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

One of the more flavorful light beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2001 13:30:58 | More by John

Stimack

New York

3.43/5  rDev +36.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Brew poured to a bight clear yellow color with a nice white head that leaves a fair amount of lacing on the upper section of the glass. The aroma is of toasted grains that also have a cereal/corn quality. Not a bad smelling brew based on the light qualities of the brew. The taste is not bad, probably the best light brew I have (especially with the cost factored in) with the exception of Sam Adam’s Light. The crisp taste, adequately carbonation and toasted flavors make it quite smooth. It is nothing overly exciting but for me it is a ok brew when you are trying to save a few bucks or drink with friends that more or less enjoy macro brews. Hell, they will think they are drinking the good stuff. Also growing up in NY it was a brew that has a lot of history and family memories.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2006 02:29:48 | More by Stimack

Shiloh

Ontario (Canada)

2.53/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

For a light beer this is acceptable plus. Yes the colour and body are weak and the taste falls short, but is acceptable as a light.
It is very well balanced and there is a place for this brew in the beer world...not in my fridge just yet, but somewhere.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2003 19:53:28 | More by Shiloh